Flaws
by Shahrezad1
Summary: There are times when Calhoun's coding is all too human. A series of very short moments. Hero's Cuties pairing.
1. Flaws

Flaws

By Shahrezad1

Summary: there are times when Calhoun's coding is all too human. A series of very short moments. Hero's Cuties pairing.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Wreck It Ralph—Disney does. :)

~/~/~

Chapter 1: Flaws

The first time Felix saw her hands without gloves was when she was working on upgrading her hover-vehicle. The protective gear was unwieldy at best and downright dangerous at worst when working on such delicate parts, and she'd shucked them with all the sensible apathy of a mechanist at work. Even with her figure presented in form-fitting attire and hair a golden dishevelment (tresses he would love to run his fingers through), it was her hands which caught his eye.

Long and slim and delicate, despite the heavy equipment she was apt to throw around. But the ends were as blunt-gnawed as their top surface was smooth. Tamora hissed as harsh chemicals smarted the ragged edges, but continued working with the determined focus of the stubborn.

_Calhoun bites her nails_, he realized with a start, a human characteristic if there was one from the toughest of individuals. A sigh filled his lungs and slowly expelled itself as the repairman felt his 8-Bit heart soften all the more.

With a gentle, loving look Felix bridged the distance between them and kneeled silently by her side, taking Calhoun's left hand in his despite her surprised start. Then, pulling out his trademark hammer, he tapped the ends with a gentle 'bing.' Ignoring her ongoing protestations, all the while.

When two sets of blue eyes finally met he smiled fondly and opened his grip to reveal her newly repaired digits, healthy, trimmed nail tips evident beneath the layers of grease and rust.

"I can fix that," he murmured quietly, as she could only stare at him in surprise. The expression shifted the slightest amount into a quirked half-smile. Saying nothing, Calhoun passed over the other hand, waiting patiently as Fix-It did his work. Then kissed both glowing cheeks fervently and went back to working on her hoverboard.

Felix beamed and contented himself with soaking in the soldier's presence.

~/~/~

AN: I feel like I just stole a scene from, "Holes," or something. –blushes in embarrassment-


	2. Knots

Flaws

By Shahrezad1

Summary: there are times when Calhoun's coding is all too human. A series of very short moments. Hero's Cuties pairing.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Wreck It Ralph—Disney does. :) (Or Sim City, for that matter.)

~/~/~

Chapter 2: Knots

The knock he'd carefully applied to her door was going unanswered. Which was actually starting to worry him.

After all, they'd gone on three dates already and at the onset of each she'd yanked the portal open almost as soon as he'd arrived, swinging him into an ardent kiss. Yet this one was wholly disregarded.

So he tried again.

When ten more minutes passed and he'd become tired of examining the shine of his best dress shoes Felix tapped a third time—only harder, in the hope that actually _hearing_ the result of his action was the problem. The other side of him wondered if location was the issue—perhaps she wasn't at home to answer the door? But then again, if she wasn't here where _could_ she be?

As the thought began spreading doubts as fast as a Cy-Bug-Rabbit crossbreed within his mind the automated barrier whooshed open, revealing a harried-looking Sergeant. Large headphones covered one ear while the rest of her was clad in military-issue civvies—that is, a green Tee and camouflage pants.

He tried not to let confusion color his hopeful expression.

Calhoun ran a hand through her hair, "oh, _Binary_, I'm sorry Felix. I lost track of time and then I just…" she trailed off, motioning in the direction of her desk which was currently littered with a battlefield of paperwork.

The tiny brunet beamed as wide as his cheeks would allow, reaching up to touch her elbow in reassurance, "that's fine and dandy, Ma'a—erm, Tammy. There's no worry at all."

Even though he _had_ reserved the finest table of a restaurant in _Sim City_ upon Litwack's PC—guaranteed to be alien-invasion free. But that could wait for now. Her wellbeing was more important.

The woman's expression said that she feared there really was something to worry about. But instead Calhoun expelled a resigned sigh and motioned her well-dressed workman inside.

"Alright, c'mon in, Shortstop."

As he pattered by she mussed his perfectly combed hair with characteristic affection but didn't bestow her usual kiss on the cheek. He frowned in concern but merely kept onward.

"So…what's raining on your parade today?" he asked carefully, hoisting himself up onto a crate that served as a chair. The blonde released a deep, highly exhausted breath, tossing a hand in the direction of her laden desk.

"It's just all this _paperwork_. We knew when we were created that this would be our lot—fighting Cy-bugs nonstop, but it seems like more and more declared cases of PTSD are cropping up every day. I mean, we all have issues to start with," she deliberately avoided making eye contact at that, staring at her rickety ceiling fan with all her might, "but I'm just worried that one day all of us are going to become madder'n a hatter in a felt jungle."

Felix blinked for a few moments as he translated the phrase, then frowned in concern, "is it really that terrible, Ma'am?" he defaulted into the title when worried, and he noticed that she let this slide as well as the touch he placed on her knee—just a gentle pressure to show his support. It worked for a few moments before the blonde scowled.

"Jonesy had a panic attack on camera," she growled irritably, "and Sebastian was heard whimpering by the Player."

Felix winced.

"I just…I don't know if I can keep the unit together. And if we have one more freak-out then we're _sure_ to get unplugged."

Neither said a word in regards to that dire fate, and the Sergeant collapsed into her battle-scarred desk chair across from him, head bowed and shoulders up to her ears as she scrubbed her hands over her face.

Hopping off the crate that she'd designated as his, the retro hero tugged it behind where she sat and reached to run an open palm across her back with more than a hint of daring. When that failed to get a response he began kneading deeply. Only then did Tamora's tension begin thawing like snow on a summer's day.

"Maybe they just need some time outside of the game, the way you visit 'Fix-It Felix,'" he offered, "and…therapy." Feeling her freeze under his hands he worked even harder to sooth the anxious muscles, "R-Ralph says that Clyde is a great man—erm—_ghost_ when it comes to getting people to express their fear-_feelings_. We could see about getting him to head a series of…group discussions. I've known him for a long time and Clyde's always been very diplomatic."

The words were stated carefully, knowing the issues she tried so hard to hide. Even to the point of protecting her unit's pride. They were soldiers, pure and simple, and being able to admit to him that there were problems wasn't the same as declaring it to the rest of the arcade.

"That could work," Calhoun mumbled half-heartedly, and Felix knew that the situation must be bad for even that much of an admission.

"Plus, school's starting, so that's something to look forward to," he remarked with forced cheer, "and maybe we can organize something for Sunday when the store is closed? A shindig, so your men can meet new people," outside of Tapper's bar, specifically. It was a great place to kick back and relax, but not the most conducive atmosphere overall, "to…to create some stability."

She nodded absently, eyes closed as the handyman continued to work wonders on the knots hidden beneath her HD surface, "hmm…"

When she fell into hunched silence Felix frowned, his attempts at directing the conversation turning to concern, "sweetheart, are you doin' alright? I-."

She yanked him down over her head as she tilted her face back. So that, although upside down, they could look eye to eye.

"Don't stop," she commanded, "this is the best that I've felt all week."

With a start the little repairman realized that he _had_ stopped, thumbs resting on either side of her spine.

But an order was an order, and he went at it with gusto. For it he couldn't fix her concerns outright then he could at least fix any current pain. The Sergeant melted under his golden touch, moaning and slipping the headphones off, tossing them to the table.

Felix grinned, unseen, and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"You up for a night in on the cot and streaming youtube videos through your vid-com?"

Her light blue eyes peered up at him with a smirk, "sounds like a plan, Fix-It."

Then she was sweeping him up into her arms, his black dress suit be darned, and tucking him flush against her on their pseudo-'couch.'

They could always go out another night.

~/~/~

AN: If anyone knows how to hack into Litwack's computer, it's probably Calhoun and her boys. Also, as was introduced by the author of, "Love Bug," MotorcycleChickenSmile ( www. fanfiction s /8739067 /1/ Love-Bug [delete the spaces] It's soooooo gooooood), there's always a possibility that one of the game cabinets could get hooked up to the internet. Again providing access to the computer. :)


	3. Strength

Flaws

By Shahrezad1

Summary: there are times when Calhoun's coding is all too human. A series of very short moments. Hero's Cuties pairing.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Wreck It Ralph—Disney does. :)

~/~/~

Chapter 3: Strength

If five years of marriage to the love of his life had taught him anything it was how to weather the storms. Especially on Bad Nights.

This was one of them.

The mattress shook as his wife uncurled herself from around his form. Felix had always been a sound sleeper before meeting his Dynamite Gal, but there was something about the removal of complete and total security which woke a man up.

It was a sense of wrongness somehow. An absence, as though everything important to him was being pulled away, leaving him bereft. Felix was familiar with the feeling even during the daytime (mostly when they had to go their separate ways and to their separate game cabinets), but it was stronger at night. When there weren't tasks to distract them from the strength of their bond.

"Tammy, sweetheart," he called out blearily, voice scratchy and eyes blinking. She said nothing, resting her hands on bent knees.

The silhouette of stiff shoulders shook in the dim green lighting of an 8-Bit alarm clock and he felt something inside of him sink.

"What's wrong?" the repairman asked, slowly coming awake as he crawled over a sea of covers to her side. But still Calhoun-Fix-It (she's insisted on the hyphenated name) said nothing. Until a sob escaped through enemy lines.

"Oh, honey-love," he murmured, wrapping an arm around one of her shoulders. Tamora turned fully to bury her face in his tiny chest, hand gripped on the loose tee he used as a pajama top, having long since abandoned the matching blue-with-gold-hammers set at her behest.

Then she cried. Moaning through tears about how Brad had died first and then Felix had, too. All before her very eyes, while she had been unable to do a thing.

The repairman curled himself around her as best as he was able, running gloveless fingers soothingly through her short, feathery hair. Never allowing his wife to see the tears making their way down his own cheeks.

Because every now and again there were nights when he had to be the strong one—for the both of them.


End file.
